Embassy of Belgium in the United States of America

Chargée d’Affaires Sophie Karlshausen 🇧🇪 hosted a lunch discussion on ❄️Arctic❄️ policy, organized by our colleague Maite Morren as Belgium is working on its Arctic strategy. Many thanks to the invited experts for their valuable insights. #ArcticDiplomacy #Arctic

🎉 Happy 23rd Birthday, Princess Elisabeth of Belgium! Today, we celebrate the 23rd anniversary of Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant. As the eldest child of Their Majesties King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, she holds the first position in the line of succession of the throne. 🇧🇪🇺🇸 This September, Princess Elisabeth embarked on a new chapter, beginning a two-year Master's degree in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education in Boston. 📸 Max Bueno | Belgian Royal Palace #BelgianMonarchy #PrincessElisabeth #BelgianRoyalFamily

Chargée d’Affaires Sophie Karlshausen was delighted to host a discussion on the Middle East, organized by our expert Charles Randaxhe. Heartfelt thanks to all the guests for their insightful contributions. 

Chargée d’Affaires Sophie Karlshausen was honored to welcome Belgium's Deputy PM & Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem, Governor Pierre Wunsch National Bank of Belgium, Director General Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Heidy Rombouts, PhD, CEO Jean Van Wetter Enabel, and 🇧🇪🇺🇸 experts for a discussion on transatlantic relations. Joris Totté, BIO - the Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries

🇪🇺🇺🇸 Chargée d’Affaires Sophie Karlshausen joined #EU Ambassadors for an outreach trip to #Michigan, a state with critical importance in the US presidential election. The delegation aimed to learn more about its people, politics, and thriving business community. Michigan is key for the 2024 US election. As external observers, the EU Team met with both Democrat and Republican leaders and academics to understand what's at stake locally and statewide. In Detroit, the EU Ambassadors explored Newlab, where startups, governments, and investors collaborate in key sectors like energy, mobility, and advanced materials—sectors where transatlantic cooperation is key. The EU Team met with Michigan leadership to discuss boosting trade and investment as part of the strong EU-US partnership. Did you know EU trade supports 165,000 jobs in Michigan? 👏 A big thank you to Jovita Neliupšienė and Michigan's leaders for their warm welcome! 🇧🇪 Trade relations between #Michigan and #Belgium are strong, with exports totaling $646M—about half in chemicals. Imports from Belgium reached $256M, bringing total trade close to $1B. Belgium ranks as Michigan's 14th largest export destination, with a significant #trade surplus for Michigan. 📸 Maddy Berner European Union Delegation to the United States, David Dulio, Jason Cabel Roe, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Belgium, Consulate General of Belgium in New York, Garlin Gilchrist II, Abdullah H. Hammoud, Michigan Central, Birgit De Clerck, Filip Vanden Bulcke #EUintheUS

🌟6️⃣0️⃣0️⃣🌟 | Chargée d'Affaires Sophie Karlshausen hosted KU Leuven University President Luc Sels at a dinner at the Belgian residence in Washington, DC, to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the university. This milestone for one of Europe's most prestigious universities, the world’s oldest Catholic university still in existence, was marked alongside distinguished Belgian and American academics and experts. It was a privilege to highlight KU Leuven's global contributions to science, research, and innovation.👏 🚀 The day's highlight was a visit to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, supported by the KU Leuven Alumni - US Chapter. The Belgian delegation was warmly welcomed by Center Director Dr. Makenzie Lystrup, PhD, a former postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Liège, Belgium. 🪐 During a scientific colloquium, Dr. Thomas Hertog, Director at the Leuven Gravity Institute KU Leuven - KU Leuven - Department of Physics and Astronomy and a pioneering figure in theoretical cosmology, delivered a keynote based on his latest book 𝗢𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲. Hertog, who worked alongside #StephenHawking for two decades, has explored some of the universe’s most profound mysteries, including the origins of time and the conditions necessary for life.  “At the heart of our cosmogony lies a physical theory that predicts that time and indeed physics itself fade away back into the big bang.” His collaboration with Stephen Hawking challenges us to rethink the nature of time and existence, suggesting that our universe may be one of many—uniquely suited for life. A thought-provoking read for anyone fascinated by cosmology and the mysteries of the universe. 🔭☀️ Other presentations at the Goddard Center included Dr. Alex Young, who discussed #heliophysics and mentioned the Royal Observatory of Belgium's contributions to #NASA, as well as Dr. Tom Barclay, who discussed the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope mission, featuring international partners like European Space Agency - ESA and Thales Alenia Space in Charleroi, Belgium. The high-level event served as an inspiring reminder of the importance of international collaboration and cutting-edge research at the intersection of #cosmology and #spacescience. 🏆 Did you know? KU Leuven is excelling in global rankings, placing 63rd in the QS World University Rankings and 43rd in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Belgium, BELSPO, Belgian Earth Observation, Faculté des Sciences Appliquées - ULiège, An Descheemaeker

On #InternationalChefDay, we are delighted to introduce Wout Sabbe, the new chef at the Belgian residence in Washington, D.C.! 👋 Please join us in welcoming our colleague Wout! 🌟 Wout just freshly graduated from the prestigious Hotelschool Ter Duinen in Koksijde, a renowned institution for producing top-tier chefs in Belgium and across Europe. Wout's passion for cooking began at the age of 12, and he has completed several internships, including a final 4-month placement at the Michelin-starred restaurant The Modern at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. 🍽️ At #TheModern, Wout worked as part of a large team of twenty, but here at the Belgian residence, he will be taking on the challenge of running the kitchen on his own, using his creativity to craft exquisite dishes for our American guests, with a focus on fresh, local ingredients and pure, delicate flavors. 🦐🐟🦞 🗽 Wout has always had a passion for travel, and he long aspired to work in the United States. The opportunity to join the Belgian residence came through a presentation by former Embassy Chef Dries Molkens at his culinary school. Despite his youth, Wout is fully prepared to work independently, with the support of a fantastic Embassy team. And yes, like a true Belgian, Wout enjoys playing soccer in his spare time.⚽ 🇧🇪 High-quality, healthy and tasty foods and beverages are part of our Belgian culture; they are an essential ingredient to Belgian diplomacy. 🧁 We are happy to share photos of some of the delicious, sweet treats Wout has prepared for a coffee with guests. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Belgium, Belga Cafe, Et Voila DC #chefday #desserts #BelgianCuisine #CulinaryDiplomacy #Belgianrecipe #chef

Consul General Sophie Hottat welcomed a distinguished group of guests for an intimate evening with Diane von Furstenberg, in conjunction with the opening of the Fashion & Lace Museum’s exhibit "Diane von Furstenberg: Woman Before Fashion" at the Skirball Cultural Center. The Belgian fashion designer, author, and philanthropist shared highlights from her life and career with the standing-room-only crowd, which included the Fashion & Lace Museum team (originating curator Nicola Lor, head curator Caroline Esgain, and City of Brussels director general for culture Anne Vandenbulcke), along with Skirball chief curator Cate Thurston. We are so thankful to the Skirball for bringing this exhibit to LA so we can all experience it! Thanks also to BELWEST - Chamber of Commerce for their support of the evening. #Belgiumintheus #DVF #Fashion #Icon #DianeVonFurstenberg #thatsawrap

👋 Welcome to the USA, Paul Hegge! Wishing you much success in your new role as General Representative of #Flanders, and looking forward to a great collaboration.

♻️🏘️☀️ #Globalwarming is accelerating rapidly, with buildings playing a significant role in this trend. On October 1st and 2nd, the The Enniscorthy International Forum #EIF, The Energy Coalition, and the City of Santa Monica, CA, hosted an international summit aimed at reducing energy demand and carbon emissions in buildings, while ensuring comfort, resilience, and affordability. 💡 Key discussions revolved around: ✅ Collaborative models between cities ✅ Climate impact and energy justice ✅ Grid integration strategies ✅ Higher education and innovation ✅ Retrofit technologies and catalysts 🤝 The consensus: Change must start at the community level, addressing everyday needs while tackling global challenges such as climate change and sustainable development (UN SDGs). The summit is expected to spark the formation of a #BuildingsActionCoalition chapter in the western U.S., drive projects focused on improving building performance, and launch a grassroots campaign to promote these transitions. 🇧🇪 Representing Belgium, Senior Advisor Michel Wallemacq contributed to the discussions, sharing insights on #Brussels' pioneering #PassiveHouse standard, adopted since 2015, and ways to boost international cooperation in the field. The #Enniscorthy Forum coordinates global networks through its Buildings Action Coalition, advancing research and collaboration on sustainable energy in the built environment, particularly at the local level. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Belgium, Scott Foster, hub.brussels, hub.brussels | Americas, Brussels Environment, Architectura.be, Kathlijn Fruithof, Robert Cavey, Sebastian Moreno-Vacca, Dr. Andreas Breuer, Richard Orr, Lindsey Rowell, Consulate General of Belgium in Los Angeles, Naomi C.O. Beal   #SustainableBuildings #ClimateAction #EnergyEfficiency #Sustainability #GreenTransition